


What Is

by DetectiveAtWork



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aang (Avatar) Needs a Hug, Air Nomad Genocide (Avatar), Air Nomads (Avatar), Angst, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Introspection, Non-Linear Narrative, Post-Episode: s03e18-21 Sozin's Comet, Tea, Zuko (Avatar) Needs a Hug, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:13:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25581136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DetectiveAtWork/pseuds/DetectiveAtWork
Summary: Zuko and Aang struggle to bring peace to a new world and find a peace of their own. Together they build the friendship that transcends lifetimes while sharing a familiar tidbit of advice.And, Iroh helps make a special cup of tea.
Relationships: Aang & Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 28
Kudos: 170





	What Is

**Author's Note:**

> So, this came to me after re-watching and reading many a fic! A lot has been inspired from other fics (too many to name)! I just wanted to explore this friendship that transcends lifetimes. A lot is my own head canon so I hope you enjoy! Special thanks for my bffl and editor!! :)

_ “You know, Zuko and Aang were close friends.Their relationship started off a little rocky, but they grew to become lifelong friends. Best friends.” Uncle Iroh, LOK _

_ Five Days Before the Peace Summit _

“The kitchens are going to be working overtime, Your Highness.” The head chef, Rina, bowed her head towards Zuko. He was standing in front of a map with his hands clasped behind his back. Next to her were the higher ups and other heads of the royal household. Also, his uncle and friends. 

“I’d appreciate it if we could get some of each nation’s cuisine here too, so they feel more welcome.” Zuko moved his hand to his chin, studying the map. The head chef gave a “Yes, sir.” and began writing. Zuko turned his attention back to the table. 

“That’s gonna be… a lot.” Sokka commented, making Katara roll her eyes. If the other dignitaries were bothered they didn’t show it. It was true, though. The Peace Summit was something Aang and Zuko thought would allow nations to finally come together. It would be held in the Fire Nation and would be open to every nation where they could come and share their thoughts about the new world they were all trying to build. This would be the first time,  _ ever, _ that they would be attempting something like this. 

Thinking about it for too long made Zuko sweat. 

“Of course it's a lot!” Aang chimed in. “Look at the list, Sokka, we have many people coming here from all the nations!” He grinned his praise at Zuko who turned red and cleared his throat. 

“Right. So, everyone, unless there are no more comments or questions that concludes the meeting for today.” Zuko rolled up the list of guests that was on the table and scanned the room. 

“Uh, actually, I um,” the chef butted in. Zuko nodded at her to continue. 

“Yes?” 

“Well, I was wondering if I might talk to some of your friends here,” she nodded towards Katara, Sokka, and Toph. “It would really help with the menu.” The three kids nodded their consent and Zuko praised the chef. 

“Great idea.” He tilted his head for the other members of the meeting to be adjourned and almost had to manhandle Toph to sit back down. The other members were starting to trickle out just as Momo burst in and jumped atop Aang’s head. He laughed.

“I know, I know, I promised you extra berries if you waited patiently.” Picking up his staff, he began walking out just as the others began the discussion. Watching him leave, Iroh frowned. Noticing his turn in countenance, his nephew made his way to him in concern. 

“Uncle? Are you alright?” Zuko peered at his uncle trying to find some ailment. Katara and the others had stopped their conversation to see if the older man needed help. A moment passed without anyone saying anything. Iroh shook his head and brought his attention back to Zuko. The others, seeing that Iroh was alright, started up the conversation again. Iroh turned towards him. 

“I think we have just made a grievous error, nephew, one that has been looking for rectification for decades.” His uncle then chose that moment to walk out, leaving Zuko there, stunned, and unsure of what he had just said. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


“How can I still be this stupid?!” Zuko slammed his hands on his dresser. He had removed his formal robes and was in his lounge wear. He sat atop his bed while running his hands over his face.  _ Honestly _ , he should know everything there is about being a leader and he still manages to surprise himself with his idiocy. 

Today, in the meeting he unintentionally insulted the Earth Kingdom in its entirety. Really. It’s amazing his own people still want him as a leader. Luckily, Aang swooped in to save further embarrassment. 

“Zuko? Are you alright?” He was interrupted from his reverie. Shoot. Right. Zuko had left his window open for this exact purpose, much to his guards’ chagrin. Aang was perched on the window sill with a look of consternation and worry between his brows. 

“Yeah, I’m just… stressed.” That, in itself, was not a lie. Not that Aang would be able to tell. Zuko may have been the worst liar there was, but Aang’s ever growing sense of optimism towards people made it easy to get away with almost anything. 

“You should really rest. The next few weeks are going to be very stressful with the planning for arrival of the other nation’s leaders.” Aang took the conversation as the OK to enter the room and crossed the room to sit next to Zuko. Right now, it was just Aang and Zuko staying in the palace. Once Zuko had recovered from his wound, the two water tribe siblings had gone home to help with repairs and healing the wounded. Toph was traveling around, helping with repairs and, after a talk with Zuko, decided to visit her parents. The decision to go their separate ways was hard, but Zuko rationalized it by stating that they would all be meeting up in a few weeks' time for the big meeting and last minute planning. Plus, it allowed time for them to convince the leaders they came in contact with to come to the summit. 

“You’re right. There’s no saying how this whole thing will go, given that it's unprecedented. Plus, I’m still not sure if they even like  _ me _ as a leader…” Growing restless, Zuko stood and started pacing again. Sometimes, in times of stress, the scar on his chest pulled uncomfortably. A moment of silence passed with the exception of the scuffling of Zuko's feet on the floor.

“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit, Zuko,” the calm whisper of Aang stopped Zuko in his tracks. The sincerity in Aang’s voice made his scar tug. “What you have done is what people, your own citizens, and the citizens of other nations have dreamed about for decades. You have brought peace and solace to a nation that had been brutally perverted by the previous leaders.  _ You  _ have undone that legacy.” They locked eyes.

For the next few moments all Zuko could do was stare at the child in front of him and breathe deeply in fear of crying. How could Zuko have possibly ever wanted to hunt him down? How could he ever dream about being on different sides when Aang spoke of him so highly, as if months ago they weren’t enemies? 

“If anything, Zuko….you’re lucky.” Aang continued. “And your people are lucky. You all get a second chance.” The air turned stale between them and Aang looked away with tears in his eyes. Zuko’s breath was stolen from him. There was a slight give in the cushion next to Aang and he turned to see Zuko look at him with compassion. 

“I’m sorry.” Zuko said. Not only was he not the best person suited for this, but he also knew that there really wasn’t anything to say. Zuko rested his hand on Aang’s shoulder as he wiped away an escaped tear. The two sat in comfortable silence.

“You know...he’d be proud of you,” Aang said looking at Zuko. Zuko gave Aang a questioning look. Aang quirked a lip. “Avatar Roku. He’s proud of you.” Zuko swallowed harshly. How could Aang have possibly known what was buzzing around in the back of his head? Recently, all Zuko could think of was his ancestors. Zuko found it hard, the struggle between his two great-grandfathers, their friendship, their downfall, and ultimately, the impact it had on the world. Had Aang known he had been seeking his great-grandfather's advice?

“You can’t know that. What I’ve done to get here,” Zuko paused and grimaced. “What I’ve done wasn’t exactly….moral.” Zuko turned his gaze towards his hands, resisting the urge to fiddle with the crown placed neatly upon his top knot. It suddenly felt heavier. 

“I am proud.” The deep, resonating voice of Aang, or, well, not Aang, made Zuko jump in shock. Looking at Aang, he wasn’t surprised to see the glow of his tattoos or his eyes. In a blink it wasn’t Aang, but an elderly man who was graced with the same hairpiece that had sat atop Zuko’s head weeks ago before the coronation. 

“Avatar Roku,” Zuko whispered. He had seen him once before at the Fire Temple when he was a different person. The ghostlike figure gave him a small smile before standing in front of him. 

“Please, great-grandson, there is no need for titles. We are family,” He reached and put a hand on Zuko’s shoulder as Zuko had just done to Aang. 

“Of course, great-grandfather.” The name made Roku crack another smile. He shifted away and examined his surroundings. 

“You know, my present self is right, Zuko.” He stopped and faced the wall to the right of him. The hazy, bright glow of Roku caused an obscenely elongated shadow. For a moment it looked like a great sadness passed through him as his shoulders hunched. 

“As...hard as it was I have forgiven my old friend,” Zuko swallowed at the mention of his other family member. A feeling of shame passed through him as though he had caused the betrayal. As if sensing his trepidation, Roku turned towards him. “Zuko, I have forgiven my old friend.” He said the statement with the clarity and resolution of an Avatar. “I suggest you do the same.” 

“How? Look at what he’s done, what _ I’ve _ done,” The whisper broke through the rigidity in the Avatar’s posture. He placed his hands in front of him and looked at Zuko with fondness.

“I admit, it was not easy.” Zuko had expected this. “But, I will say that time and friendship helped.” 

“Friendship?” Zuko knew that Roku was killed by his own friend and he didn’t exactly live long enough to make another friendship. Roku gave a huff of laughter and looked around. 

“You forget, young one, that I have thousands of previous lives to communicate with. Though I must say,” he looked whimsical here before turning to Zuko again. “Your young friend here has been of great help.” Zuko quirked a lip. 

“He has.” Roku stared at Zuko a bit longer before taking a step back. 

“I offer you this advice, Firelord Zuko, forgiveness is the only way to see the light. Trust that in time you and your friends will see and create this light together. And when you do, so shall everyone around you.” 

Zuko was frozen for a moment and a phrase that Aang had said earlier, what seems almost a lifetime ago now, rang through his head. 

_ We cannot concern ourselves with what was, we must act on what is _ . 

The light vanished and soon Zuko was engulfed in the light of day and the orange and yellow clothing of his friend. The tattoos dimmed back to the light blue and Aang swayed in front of him. Bolting to catch his friend before he hit the ground, Zuko snagged Aang; bringing him back to the bed Aang groaned and brought a hand to his head. He looked up at Zuko and gave a blinding smile. 

“See, I told you he’d be proud of you.” Aang gave him a tiny chuckle before stating, “I guess this means I can call you great-grandson!” 

  
  


* * *

  
  


Exhaustion was quickly becoming Zuko’s newest enemy as he fought to stay awake during the security update. Apparently, being the son of the once homicidal Firelord made Zuko an undignified choice for Firelord. Assassination attempts, kidnappings, and vandalization were on the uprise. Luckily, most of his assailants were run by grief and anger, making them less proficient and experienced in trying to come after him. Part of him won’t admit it, but Zuko is put down by the lack of effort and expertise these people show him. Also, he  _ does _ miss fighting and the stress relief it brings afterwards. Not that he would admit that.. 

“Your Highness, I hope you know that we are investigating this to see if it is an underground group or a one time thing.” His head security officer, a burly man named Jing, chimed in. Recently, Zuko was attacked on his way to the Leaders' Council meeting, which was deemed ‘completely unacceptable’ by his staff. Zuko, himself, found it more irritating that they had to postpone the meeting. He had tried to reason with his council that he wasn’t injured, just a small cut on his arm. If anything, his formal robes took the brunt of the attack and were singed and burnt. His council was unamused and somewhat horrified when he showed up to the meeting anyway. 

“Yes, thank you, Commander Jing.” Zuko tried to appear less exhausted than he was, but judging by the looks he was receiving, he was unsuccessful. “Is there anything else?” Wrapping this up and going to the garden to relax is the first thing on his mind, he only got an hour break before his next meeting. He looked around and the hazy exhaustion that permeated his brain started to recede as he saw the wary looks his officers were giving each other. 

“Well, Your Highness, there have been...other attacks,” Here Jing paused, trying to figure out how to word it. “Attacks that aren’t directed just towards  _ you _ .” With this, he slid a scroll for Zuko to read. The words made anger rise in Zuko and he clutched the paper tighter. On the table, the candle flickered violently. 

“Why wasn’t I made aware of this sooner?!” 

Storming down the halls with the scroll in hand, Zuko made his way towards the garden. Not for his beloved nap, no, but to find the person that was quietly flitting about within the garden. Aang was talking to one of the kitchen staff about the best time of year to harvest some sort of berry. Though most of the staff was still frightened of Zuko, Aang had seemed to win over every single one of them. Whether it be his Avatar status or just himself, Zuko did not know nor could he compete. He was especially adored by the kitchen staff. Momo was filtering between the two as if trying to participate in the conversation. Zuko most likely assumed it was because of the large bowl of berries in the woman’s hands. The two of them were unaware of Zuko’s presence until the young woman caught sight of him and attempted a quick bow. 

“ _ Why didn’t you tell me that you are being attacked and threatened?! _ ” Zuko bellowed. Momo gave an indignant chitter at being disrupted. The young woman from the kitchen looked at Zuko, then Aang, and then back to Zuko again before giving a small bow and rushing off back into the palace. Zuko figured this probably wasn’t the best way to win over the staff. 

Zuko breathed heavily for a few moments, trying to collect his temper, lest he set fire to his mother’s beloved garden. In front of him, Aang seemed unbothered. 

“It didn’t seem like such a big deal. You-  _ we _ \- have other things to be worried about,” Aang remarked. He held his arm for Momo to perch on before the lemur found solace on his head. Zuko’s temper rose again. He resisted the urge to pull his hairpiece out and chuck it at the ridiculous child before him. 

“Not a big deal?! Aang, you’re the Avatar! An attack on you is an attack on everything we’re working for!” Thankfully, Aang didn’t mention the irony of Zuko lecturing him about safety and people hunting him. Aang sighed and dropped his shoulders, causing Momo to fly off in search of food most likely. The young airbender fiddled with an air ball in his hand before turning towards Zuko with frustration written on his face. 

“Look, I know that. Believe me, I do. I try not to go searching for trouble as much as I used too.” He gave a wry smile at this. “But, if I’m being honest I sort of...expected this.” Zuko gave a harsh sigh and moved towards Aang and the pond that was the focal point of the garden. The both of them looked at the turtle ducks in silence for a moment. 

“I know, but I need to know these things, Aang. Agni forbid that the both of us get indisposed.” Zuko watched a turtle duck quack and splash its sibling. “We both know that any act against us means war.  _ Another _ war.” Aang looked sheepish at the reprimand and scratched the back of his head. 

“I’ll be sure to tell you next time.” Next time. No ‘ _ if it happens again’ _ Agni what has become of their lives? “Besides, the attacker was inexperienced and not in the right state of mind, I don’t think he did it deliberately. After we had lunch-” 

“You had lunch together?!” Zuko sputtered.  _ Agni above,  _ does he have no self-preservation? How did he ever elude Zuko? Aang looked sheepish. 

“I was hungry, it was clear the man was hungry, and that he really did not want to attack us,” Aang looked to Zuko with a sharp glint in his eye. “We talked it out.”

“You-you  _ talked _ it out?” Zuko could feel the anger and stress bubbling up inside him again. Avatar or not, he really needed to be more careful. 

“Yes. We talked about his reasoning for the attempted, well, I guess, murder. Apparently, he had lost his only son in the war  _ after  _ we had defeated Ozai,” Aang paused. Zuko felt the anger in his stomach churn with the acid at the story that sounded too familiar to another one he knew. “The man was just grieving and...I couldn’t fault him for that. There are many families like his. Angry and upset at the war and all it has caused. It seems nobody remained untouched.” The purity of Aang’s sadness made Zuko’s eyes water. The two of them let the breeze blow and soothe them for some time. Zuko debated carefully what to say to Aang, who was still grim. He had a feeling as to why Aang was upset.

“It’s not your fault, you know.” It was the best Zuko could come up with. He was not his uncle. He was not filled with words of wisdom, or thousands of lives who were. Aang plopped down into a lotus position. Zuko sank to his knees. 

“I...know that, sort of.” He scrunched up his face. He moved his hands to the grass, looking as though he wanted to tear a piece of grass out. “I think that with time it will get easier, but it’s constant reminders like this that remind me to remember that, for some time, I failed my duties. I left people alone. For a _ century _ .” Aang looked solemnly at the grass. Zuko stared at the turtle ducks. 

Zuko did not really know what transpired for Aang to become locked away in an iceberg for a century  _ (to be honest, until he saw the play and Aang didn’t dispute the title, he was always a tad bit in disbelief that it had happened at all).  _ But, he did know that, after knowing Aang, it must’ve been a decision of defense for him. He must’ve felt boxed in in some way. Zuko can’t see Aang completely running away from a fight.  _ Though, there was the time, the days before the last stand,  _ the thought niggled in Zuko’s mind, but he shook it away. Aang had proved himself.

It was also times like these that Zuko was reminded how young Aang was. He was almost the same age that Zuko had been when he had been burned and banished. He was-  _ is _ \- a child. He had overheard something from Katara and him when they were talking and he was reminded of what happened to Roku when he had been told he was the Avatar. That he had to give up worldly possessions, leave everything and everyone he knew behind. For anyone this young...the thought must’ve been suffocating. Zuko held in a pained grimace. Ironically, Aang had accomplished the tradition of the Avatar unknowingly. 

“We cannot concern ourselves with what was,” the statement popped into his head. Hearing the familiar advice made Aang’s head snap up and his eyes well with tears. He gave a few shaky breaths and unclenched a hand that was full of ripped grass. 

“We must act on what is,” Aang finished. The grass that was ripped got caught in a breeze and it swirled in front of them majestically before being caught in the wind causing it to scatter. 

“You must tell me again if you’re attacked. And,” Zuko emphasized. “If I’m the intended target. I’m assuming you fought off some intended for me.” Aang tilted his head in a slight forward nod. Zuko raised a brow. “If not, I’m telling Katara that-” 

“No! Yes! I will tell you! Don’t tell the others!” Ah, yes, the mighty Avatar is scared of his best friends and girlfriend. Zuko gave a chuckle and moved to stand up. 

“I’m heading inside. We have a meeting in a few minutes,” brushing off his formal robes, Zuko waited for Aang to untangle himself and join him. The two of them made quite the pair walking side by side in the hallways. 

* * *

If you were to ask Zuko what the most difficult part of being Firelord is you would probably be surprised by his answer. Sure, there were meetings, the exhaustion, dealing with the higher ups, and a plethora of other things that were truly just awful. 

But, those were not the worst things. 

The worst thing, Zuko surmised, was down time. 

Down time, which was mainly forced by his officers, friends, and uncle, was  _ hell _ . Already, Zuko felt that he was not helping the world or his people enough and now people were telling him to take a break? No thank you. He had so much work to do, people to see, he didn’t have the time to prance around the city or take a nap. The feeling of uselessness escalated tenfold when someone told him to relax. Not only were there thousands of people suffering because of his nation, his own people were suffering too. 

Responsibility falls on him. Isn’t that a pleasant thought? 

If Zuko weren’t a firebender he would for sure be concerned that he was burning from the inside out. That his whole body would be tinged like the darkened skin around his eye. Loath as he was to admit it, he longed for the days of traveling on the _ Wani _ , of feeling the breeze and the cool crisp air on the back of Appa. He longed for the chilly nights at the Air Temple and Ember Island. Even the early days, when the others thought him a kidnapper seeking the Avatar. Zuko would even go as far back to say when chasing after the Avatar was equivalent to chasing after a myth. 

Zuko felt as though the people needed to see him busy and not idle. He wanted to prove that he was worthy of being Firelord. “ _ The people need you alive and not run into the ground, _ ” his uncle had told him. Zuko wasn’t running himself into the ground. He shakes his head at the thought of his uncle’s disapproving look popping into his head. 

Now, Zuko had been kicked out of the meeting with his household staff and security, so he could rest. How humiliating. How could he lead a nation if a chef told him to take a nap?

_ “My Lord, please allow me to at least get you a cup of tea,” the head chef, Rina, said. Zuko who was dazed with exhaustion simply nodded his head. The others took this as a ‘go ahead’ to continue the meeting.  _

_ “So, much to our dismay, Firelord, we have now reached 16 assassination attempts in the past quarter,” Commander Jing, head of security, said. The Commander looked down at the parchment in front of him.  _

_ “Seventeen,” Zuko blurted. The commander paused his movements.  _

_ “Sir? We’ve only been notified of sixteen.” Here Jing looked menacing and like he was about to grind his teeth down. He ignored the voice in his head that sounded like Aang yelling,  _ “Hypocrite!”  _ for not telling his security sooner. _

_ “Aang and I almost ran into the bad end of a knife when we were inspecting the lower markets yesterday.” In his mind, Zuko figured he should probably stop talking. The looks of his staff were a mix of murderous anger and pity.  _

_ “Why wasn’t security made aware of this?” The Commander pinched the bridge of his nose, a red flush creeping up his neck. Zuko straightened himself so his back was pin straight.  _

_ “Aang and I took care of it. Honestly, the man came at us with a _ knife _ ,” Zuko snorted ignoring proper court behavior. Seriously, will these assassins ever learn? He shook his head. “We were insulted, honestly, if anyone wanted to do some real damage they should just hire a family member of mine. They always have been better at the attempted murder.”  _

_ See, if Zuko wasn’t so mind numbingly exhausted he would have realized that he had just given away very, very personal information. But, the only thing on his mind was his bed.  _

_ He titled his head to look around and saw the looks of discomfort and blatant disbelief on his staff’s face. The Commander looked as if he was mere seconds away from breaking his quill and the head launder looked like she wanted to stab someone. Opening his mouth to ask what was wrong, Zuko was saved with the arrival of his tea.  _

_ “Sir,” Rina placed the cup in front of him and poured him steaming tea. Nobody commented on how his hands shook.  _

_ “Thank you, it’s delicious.” He sipped his tea as the rest of his workers continued on talking about budgets, food, clothing, and security. His poor guards must have two meetings a day about him. Zuko felt himself tipping forward.  _

_ “I think that’s enough for today,” Rina spoke up. It took Zuko a moment to see that they were all looking at him.  _

_ “But, we’re only halfway through the schedule!” Zuko fidgeted for a moment. Commander Jing looked to Rina and the others.  _

_ “No, I actually think that we just finished, sir.” Jing cleared his throat and started packing up. Zuko frowned.  _

_ “I think it’s best if you get rest, My Lord,” Rina gently took the cup from him and began helping him up. Essentially, she dragged him to the door. “You should find Avatar Aang, he looked like he could use some rest too.” What was happening? He was the Firelord and his head chef and head of security was escorting him out of his own conference room? Blindly fumbling along Zuko made it to the edge of the room. He didn’t realize that nobody else was following. From behind him, he thought he could hear someone say,  _

_ “Agni, he’s only  _ sixteen _.”  _

The apparent betrayal of his own household staff was enough to awaken Zuko to seethe a bit as he searched for Aang. He tried not to think of what happened as a personal failure. Walking towards the side entrance, he found himself being bombarded by white fur. 

“Zuko! There you are!” Maybe Rina was right, if Aang looked like this he couldn’t imagine what he himself looked like. Appa was waiting to be acknowledged, so Zuko patted him and endured the nice rumble from him. Aang floated down from his spot on Appa’s back and gracefully landed next to Zuko. He also gave Appa a pat. 

“I was just kicked out of my own meeting.” Zuko states. When he doesn’t receive an immediate reply, he turns to see Aang trying to hold in laughter. Another betrayal! “Aang, this is not funny!” His temper always gets worse when he’s tired. It shows how far they’ve come when Aang doesn’t even flinch, let alone drop the smile that is plastered on his face. 

“Zuko, have you seen yourself?” Aang held out his hand and gestured to the large bucket that served as Appa’s water. In the rippled view he saw a distorted reflection of himself. Oh. He did look awful.

“We still have so much work to do,” Zuko reached to pet Appa again. Aang started dragging him to climb onto the saddle. Zuko hesitated. 

“And we’re going to do it.” The certainty in Aang’s voice made Zuko abandon his hesitations. Climbing on the saddle, he was assaulted by the memory of the six of them getting ready for battle, all of them packing their bags, the laughter and joking  _ days _ before the fate of the world was decided. He settled himself in the saddle, it was much more spacious now that it was just him. He heard the soft,  _ yip yip _ , from Aang and the world became much smaller and the air became fresher. 

For a moment, everything he knew disappeared. He felt as weightless as Aang when he flitted about, laughing at gravity. The sky was a bright blue with fluffy clouds surrounding them. If Zuko reached out he was sure he could touch them. 

“Where are we going?” It struck him that he didn’t even bother asking Aang where the two of them were going. Aang turned to him after what seemed like having a conversation with Appa. 

“Just around, poor Appa hasn’t been in the air in a while.” Aang caught the backward momentum of the air and landed next to Zuko in the saddle. He seemed unperturbed that nobody was holding the reins. Appa still flew on. 

“We can’t be gone that long, I still have so much work to do.” Aang unrolled the brown blanket that was always strapped to the side of Appa’s saddle. The blanket had seen better days, but the sun bleached coloring and hand stitched repairs from Katara gave it a certain character. 

“Come on,” Aang gestured for him to get under the blanket. Zuko grudgingly obliged and settled himself so that he was lying on the saddle next to Aang who was also under the blanket. Their heads were pillowed on the rucksacks that were always on board for extra storage. “It will be like old times.” Zuko didn’t know why it made his eyes burn at the thought. The two of them let the breeze drift above them. He thought back to when they would all sleep clumped together. It still hadn’t stopped, many of the guards found them in one room or outside all huddled together. It was a hard habit to break.

“I can’t take a break like this, Aang. We have so much to do.” The whispered statement seemed like it was lost to the flying wind above them. 

“Zuko, we’re already here. We’ve done the best thing we can do. We’ve  _ already done _ the impossible. I’m sure people understand that we need a break.” Aang opened his eyes and stared at him. Zuko kept his eyes on the sky. It’s funny how a few sentences from Aang managed to soothe him better than his entire household staff and the voices in his head. 

“If you’re sure…” 

“It’s ok. We can rest for right now.” And they did. 

* * *

  
  


If Zuko could pride himself on one thing it would be his ability to track the Avatar. He was able to track him across the world with little clues and a whole lot of perseverance. Now, as he searched his palace for his flighty friend, he began to doubt that. The two of them were due for a meeting in a half hour and had agreed upon lunch (read: a supervised forced lunch by Rina) twenty minutes ago. Storming the halls, Zuko became frustrated at the lack of Avatar he seemed to be finding. Perhaps he was out of practice as it had been months since he was tracking him. Maybe he needed to tap into the inner fire and anger he had whilst searching for him. To be honest, it wouldn’t be that hard. For once, he actually had wanted to eat. 

Stalking down the hall towards his room he paused. Aang had mentioned meditating before and while that was something he could do anywhere...Zuko pivoted and stalked back across the palace. 

The Fire Temple was the most spiritually sound place in the palace. Though its use was more for remembrance, Uncle had told him that it used to be more than that; a place where old sage’s had passed into the spiritual world. Regardless of what it once was, his father had redecorated and brandished it with Fire Nation regalia instead of the spiritual text and pictures it once held. Still, Zuko seldom entered this room if only to save himself from the unease of feeling he got when he crossed the threshold. That and maybe the portrait of Lu Ten staring down at him. 

Slowing his steps as to try and not make a sound, he walked towards the main altar. Much to his disappointment, Aang was not seated there. Taking another look around, he saw a smear of bright blue light spread on the wall; the exact opposite color of fire. Exasperated at this point, Zuko stomped over to Aang who was clearly deep in meditation facing an old tree in the midst of seasons changing stitched into the tapestry. 

“Aang, there you are! I’m hungry and we have a meeting in thirty-” Zuko paused. Looking at Aang head on Zuko was always somewhat amazed and startled at the bright glow of the tattoos that encompassed his head. But now, Zuko was startled to see that there were  _ tears  _ running down Aang’s face. Zuko panicked. 

“Aang!” Unsure of what to do, he gently shook his shoulders, disliking how limp his body felt under Zuko’s fingers. A teardrop struck Zuko’s hand and he shook harder. Feeling helpless, Zuko dropped down to his knees and tried to search Aang’s body for any wounds. He was halfway through trying to look at his stomach when the bright light suddenly faded. 

“What are you doing?! That tickles, Zuko!” Relief poured through Zuko as his friend seemed relatively unharmed. 

“Aang! Are you okay? I came to find you for lunch and you-” Zuko paused. He gestured towards the now drying tear tracks. “You were crying. I-I didn’t know if you were hurt or really what to do so I was checking you for wounds…” Seeming silly now Zuko looked down avoiding eye contact. Aang wiped the remaining tear tracks and gave a small smile to Zuko. Zuko saw how it didn’t reach his eyes. 

“I’m fine,” it didn’t sound very convincing. “I must’ve lost track of time.” His eyes still looked far away. Zuko dropped into a lotus form next to Aang. If Aang was uncomfortable with the proximity of him, he didn’t say anything. 

“Why were you crying?” Aang figured that Zuko must’ve learned his style of communication from Toph or his time in Ba Sing Se, as he never danced around anything. After traveling together, he had grown to appreciate it. Aang looked down and saw another tear darken his outer robe. 

“Ever since I mastered the Avatar state...it makes it much easier to communicate with myself. Er, my past lives.” Zuko had a feeling this was more of a conversation for his Uncle more than anyone else. He himself was never spiritual, nor did he have any inkling as to how the spiritual world worked. It was times like these when he missed the others. They would know exactly what to do. 

“So... you can talk to them?” The question must’ve sounded childish for Aang gave a small grin of amusement. 

“Yes, it’s much like when you’re talking to someone, only hazier and more surreal. Like a dream almost,” Aang separated his hands and gestured towards Zuko. “Much like when you talked to Roku.” Zuko gave a nod, remembering the conversation and the mysticism of talking to his great-grandfather. 

“So you were talking to Roku?” If he was and he came out of the conversation this upset, Zuko would need to have words with his great-grandfather. Zuko didn’t care if he was an Avatar or not. At the protective tone, Aang gave a small chuckle. 

“Don’t worry, Zuko, these aren’t tears of sadness necessarily.” That didn’t comfort Zuko as much as Aang intended it to. Zuko followed Aang’s gaze to where he was staring at the tapestry of the tree. Aang seemed to be in his own world for a moment. 

“Aang?” Zuko said softly. Aang didn’t turn his eyes from the tree. 

“I was talking to Avatar Yangchen.” Zuko’s brow furrowed. 

“Avatar Yangchen?” Zuko hadn’t really educated himself with the previous avatars besides Avatar Roku and the little he learned on Kyoshi island about Avatar Kyoshi. In fact, until recently, Zuko didn’t even  _ know  _ Aang’s name. Aang brought his gaze back to Zuko. 

“She’s an airbender, the previous one before me.” Well, it was no wonder he hadn’t heard of her. An Avatar from that long ago, let alone an airbender, wouldn’t have even graced the textbooks he had learned from in school. Sensing unease, Aang pulled on his meditation beads, fiddling with the wooden circular beads. 

“Did you need advice from her? Did she give it to you?” Zuko was trying to peruse his own brain for any advice that Aang  _ needed _ . He hadn’t said anything about needing help or an extra set of ears. Zuko tried not to let it bother him. Normally, the two of them would bounce ideas, advice, and just general conversation off of each other before consulting an outside source. Aang must’ve picked up on Zuko’s closed manner. 

“It’s not anything you could’ve helped with,” Aang sighed and closed his eyes. Zuko’s shoulders slumped. Figures. How could he compare with the Avatars past?

“Of course, they do hold endless wisdom-” Aang cut him off. 

“No, you misunderstand me,” Aang sighed and looked down. “I wasn't asking for advice, it was for selfish reasons.” Aang looked like he had just admitted a great crime, though, to be honest, Zuko didn’t know the ‘proper guidelines’ about talking to Avatars. For all he knew, Aang could have created some great spiritual imbalance. Looking around the room to see if anything changed and seeing no difference, Zuko comforted his friend.

“Surely, talking to yourself isn’t selfish, Aang,” Zuko rolled his eyes for drama. Aang gave a forced smile. When tears welled in his eyes again, the amusement was wiped from Zuko’s face. 

“I was-” He paused and took a shuddering breath. “I was talking to her about  _ home _ .” 

It took a few mere moments to realize what  _ home _ meant and when the realization came it sent a cold spark of lightning down his spine. The scar on his chest felt hollow. Aang was  _ homesick _ . Homesick to a place that he couldn’t go back too. 

“I mean, I know we were from different Temples, but we shared the same culture and ideals.” A few tears slipped out and Zuko felt the scar on his chest burn. He placed a hand on Aang’s shoulder. The simple act caused whatever remaining stoicism in Aang to crumble. The wind got knocked out of Zuko as Aang flung himself into the formal robes he wore. He felt Aang shudder in sobs. 

“Aang…” Zuko drifted. 

“We talk about home. About what it’s like. I know I should only communicate with them when it's important, but I don’t have anyone to talk to about it.” Zuko could understand, to an extent. When he had been banished, he dreamt of going home, being surrounded by the people he knew. The consistency and feeling of safety it brought. But he had Uncle. And some of the officers. He had people who had grown up in the same culture and environment. People who held the same beliefs as him, however twisted they may have been. Aang didn’t have that. He wouldn’t ever have it the way it used to be. 

“I’m sure it's perfectly fine to talk to her. You are the  _ Avatar _ .” He said ‘Avatar’ like one of the many reverent, adoring fans.“You get to make the rules.” He felt Aang smile in his robe. He tried to think of what Uncle would say in a situation such as this. He gently tugged Aang away and forced him to look at him. 

“Aang, it’s only right that you miss home. Our mission, though not done, was accomplished. Everyone got to go home. You can’t.” Aang gulped in a breath and Zuko turned his head. He thought back to the discussion they all had a day before Ozai was brought down. How nobody had understood Aang and his reservations against killing him. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to even go through what I did and not have someone who understood my culture and values in the making of my decisions.” Here, he thought of his uncle and the way he had tried to force him to make a decision. He squeezed a hand on his shoulder.

“What we’re doing, we can’t do alone. And...if you need to talk to Avatar Yangchen every once in a while, so what?” He tried to end flippantly, so as not to delve too far into emotions. He wasn’t good at that. Aang threw himself at Zuko again and squeezed his neck. 

“She said something like that to me too.” Zuko gave a brief pause, trying to judge his emotional state and if bringing it up would make Aang nearly inconsolable. 

“What else did she say?” 

“She told me that it was okay to want to talk to her as long as I didn’t forget the people I had in the real world.” Zuko silently thanked the previous Avatar in his head. Luckily, it hadn’t taken Aang too long to learn the same lesson it had taken years for Zuko to learn.

“So what did you talk about today?” At this, as with any mention of wanting an anecdote from his old life, Aang lit up. 

“We were talking about when we received our tattoos and how we were told we were the Avatar!” Aang beamed at the full attention Zuko was giving. 

“How does one know they’re the Avatar?” They had to be in a meeting in a few minutes to discuss the future, but...but that could wait. Right now, the Avatar needed the past. 

“We both agreed that the back of our thighs were the most painful for our tattoos. And, well, you see, I never felt different! She said that sometimes her tea would go cold or too hot too quickly. But, we all chose the same toys-”

Zuko let Aang talk away his sorrows and worries. If anything, Zuko could use this to fill in the spots left by his Nation’s hatred and evil doings when it came to the Air Nomads. It was time to set things right.

* * *

  
  


It was just after midday and the heat was already stifling in the garden. Zuko and Aang had cut training short in the morning because the humidity had made it impossible to really do anything, except have Aang make ice cold rain to drip on them. Now, both dressed in formal robes for the first meeting of the day, the both of them knew it was going to be a long one. 

Zuko could feel the sweat drip down his back and a bead of sweat roll down near his cheek. Looking to Aang, he was jealous of how he could breathe and maintain his temperature. Every once and awhile he knew Aang would shoot sort of cool air above the table because he could see the confusion and relief of his officers. 

The meeting would be a long one regardless of the heat. Meeting with his military advisors was always a hassle. Most of them were on his side and not his father's, after he cleaned court and got rid of people who were actively trying to kill him and the ones he knew would betray his orders. Still, any time he sat near his officers, it left a bad taste in his mouth. 

While the officers were used to the heat of fire, the heat and humidity of the room made them short tempered and downright grouchy. It didn’t take Zuko much to realize this when they spotted Aang in his traditional robes taking a seat next to him. Outsiders sitting in on meetings such as this was still a taboo. Even if it was the Avatar. Just because they were on his side and not his father’s didn’t exactly mean they _ liked  _ him. It was obvious that while they supported the end of war, mostly so they wouldn’t be killed in action, they didn’t exactly support every suggestion Zuko had due to their own pride and the pride of their nation. It was a hard balance, but it was one that Zuko had dealt with before. 

“The southern ships are almost all docked in our northern port,” his navy admiral stated. The man had never met Zuko and they had only come across each other once or twice when Zuko was searching for the Avatar. 

“Alright,” Zuko nodded. Another bead of sweat rolled down the back of his neck. “I suggest that we let them be sent back to their families as we have for the others.” The admiral nodded and moved to take a sip of his tea. Noticing it was empty, a servant rushed in and brought a steaming pot of it and placed it in the center. The table looked at the steam with ire. 

“If I may?” Aang, who had been silent until now, spoke up. He gestured to the tea. “I can make this cold, but I won’t be sure how that will taste. But, at least it will be refreshing.” He held a finger up. The table desperately looked like they wanted a sip of something chilly, but they all turned towards Zuko to see what he wanted. 

Zuko, who has been having Aang cool his drinks for weeks now, merely nodded his head. Aang took the pot and held the base in the palm of his hand, within seconds, the steam coming from the spout stopped and Zuko could see the condensation already dripping off the sides. It was always strange to watch Aang use an element that wasn't his favored air, and until he did Zuko could almost forget that he was the Avatar. The table finished the pot almost immediately. 

“Before we go, I just thought I would mention a few more changes that will be in the new decree,” Zuko took a breath. Though this change was really more of a reversal, he doubted the table of highly ranking military officials would take it well. “It has come to my attention that there are many people who are fighting Agni Kai’s to the death, and while this is a last resort, I would prefer to revert back to the ancient ways of fighting to the first burn. Those that fight otherwise could face punishment.” 

The table was silent and Aang looked at his friend with pride. Then again, anytime Zuko did something that was peaceful and provoked a reaction of nonviolence he gave him one of those blinding smiles. 

“Sir,” one of the naval admirals looked to him slightly in fear. “I appreciate removing death from it, I have lost one too many good officers to trivial little spiffs.” A few others nodded, but one irate general looked at Zuko with contempt. 

“Revert back to the ancient ways?! We all know why you’re messing with the rules and traditions of Agni Kai!” With that he pointed towards Zuko’s face and gasps were heard all around. Zuko, who knew that this would somehow be brought up, seemed calm. Aang looked confused. 

“I assure you, General, I do not intend to make a mockery of our culture.” The table seemed to relax at Zuko’s not-freaking-out. “Besides, if I really wanted to change the Agni Kai for selfish reasons, wouldn’t I remove the burn aspect?” Zuko leaned on the table and made eye contact with the general. “So that way nobody could suffer the same fate as me?” He gestured to the left side of his face. The table tensed again. Several moments passed where the tension and humidity was so thick that Zuko was sure he would suffocate.

“If I may?” Bless Aang for speaking up. Zuko deflated back into the chair and nodded at Aang. The others around the table were looking as if they were about to witness an Agni Kai. “I just...wanted to say that traditionally Agni Kai’s were only fought to the first burn.” 

“Forgive me,  _ Avatar _ ,” the offending general spit the title like it was a burnt fire flake. “But what would you know of our culture? You are just a  _ child _ .” 

“I  _ know, _ ” and Zuko was sure that by the tone of his voice Avatar Roku was sure to make an appearance. “More of your  _ real  _ culture than any of you do. You often forget that I was alive before the war and I witnessed what the Fire Nation used to be.” Aang took a calming breath and Zuko was glad for that because he thought he saw the bright glint of his arrow glowing. 

“What Firelord Zuko is proposing is how the Agni Kai’s were originally fought. With honor and humility. I assure you, the Firelord has no ulterior motives for changing something like this. If anything, it is giving your nation a chance to heal and stop violence from distorting your true culture.” The general was silent. 

Afterwards, when Aang and Zuko were heading towards the stable where Appa was kept, Aang finally asked  _ the _ question. Zuko knew it was coming. In fact, he was surprised that he had yet to ask him why half his face was almost burnt off. 

“You know, when I first saw you, I figured that you had some sort of story regarding your scar.” Aang brushed Appa and the fur made Zuko want to sneeze. Zuko wasn’t really expecting this conversation to go like this. “I figured that it was a private, personal story that only you and maybe Uncle knew about.” He stopped brushing Appa and gave Zuko the brush along with a gust of cooling wind. Zuko was grateful for the task and something to keep his hands busy. “But, after seeing what happened in that meeting, I see that it is not so much of a secret,” Aang looked down. Zuko held his breath waiting for the inevitable question…

“I’m sorry.” Zuko’s movements stuttered and he almost dropped the brush. Why was he  _ apologizing _ ? “It must be hard knowing that all those people, who are already trying to wage a war between us, know or saw something so... _ personal _ .” Zuko looked to Aang who was looking at him with such a compassionate face that he felt his eyes burn. He brushed Appa a few times, the only noise being Appa’s pleasured growls. 

“You’re not going to ask?” Zuko’s voice was small.

“It is not my business, Zuko. The monks told me that while being free and loving of everyone and everything, privacy is also essential and we must respect that.” He sighed. “Plus, given that you haven’t mentioned it, I assume it's something awful, and well, not many of us have our worst moments or memories etched onto our faces. Whenever,  _ if eve _ r, you want to tell me, I’m here and so are the others.” 

“Thanks.” Zuko whispered. He had stopped brushing Appa for a moment and felt something in his chest tighten and loosen at the same time. It was the first time he was given a choice regarding his own past, his own  _ face _ . Most times people just stared at him and didn’t ask or they did and Zuko didn’t know which was worse. Though he had come to terms with his scar, his past, it was nice to be able to choose whether or not he wanted to divulge this information. 

Aang just nodded at him and petted Appa before letting out a sneeze that shot him at least ten feet in the air. Zuko felt grateful that while Aang coud spout proverbs and advice at him like he was one hundred twelve years old, he could also just act like a twelve year old. It eased the tightness in his chest and he realized that, if he were to have privacy and if he had his scar in a different place, and he could decide whom he wanted to tell, he would tell Aang and the others. 

He glanced at Aang who was still petting Appa and giving him small smiles. He took a deep breath, knowing that Aang would listen.

“I was thirteen and it was my first time ever in the war room…” 

* * *

  
  


It was truly amazing how easily flustered Zuko could get. He knew he always had a temper, it was a stereotype, he knew, for firebenders to have short, hot tempers, but it was one that fit him surprisingly well. He was lucky his Uncle had taught him how to control his breathing, lest he set everything on fire. 

He was storming to where his uncle’s quarters were, mumbling and talking to himself. All these meetings did was take his temper and put it through a scorching grinder. They brought up old wounds, made new ones, and then looked to Zuko like he was the one who caused all of their problems. He knew that being in charge of a nation that was bathed in blood and violence would be beyond difficult, but he didn’t expect such people who were claiming to help him to be so bothersome. 

He was approaching his uncle’s quarters when he heard soft speaking and the smell of jasmine tea. He heard the light laughter of his uncle and Aang and felt some of the anger in him wash away. 

_ “-Fruit pies were always his favorite weapon,” _ he heard Aang tell his uncle. Standing in the corridor Zuko leant against the wall to listen. 

_ “It sounds like Monk Gyatso was quite the prankster,” _ his uncle had a hint of laughter in his voice. Aang must have nodded because his uncle had continued speaking.  _ “How do you like this blend? It is a mixture of jasmine and mint.” _ Zuko heard the clinking of a pot and cup. 

_ “It’s delicious. I like the mintyness of it. We mostly had sweet teas from the berry and fruit tree leaves.” _ Aang took a sip. “ _ The monks used to use the steam from the water to add more flavor by pushing it back into the pot, it was quite complex,”  _ Aang let out a laugh.  _ “I remember sacrificing a tea pot or two, much to the Elders’ dismay.” _ Iroh gave a chuckle.

_ “I imagine that would add such a nice flavor,”  _ his uncle sounded almost reverent? In his speaking. Zuko had heard his uncle speak like this whenever he was confronted with something of great importance. Still reeling from his earlier anger, Zuko couldn’t see what the big deal was about tea. Tea was tea. 

_ “It did.” _ The two sipped in silence for a moment. 

_ “So you were saying about your, which chakra was it?” _ The term was new to Zuko, but then again his uncle and even Aang had worlds of wisdom. Zuko shuffled at the doorway. 

_ “Right, yes, sorry. I often get side tracked.” _ He could picture Aang rubbing his bald head. Iroh chuckled. 

_ “It’s alright, you’ve always had a lot on your mind, young Avatar.” _ Zuko stilled. Uncle seldom used Aang’s title unless it was important. He leaned closer to the door. 

_ “It was air. It's located in the heart and it deals with love and is blocked by grief.”  _ Aang said this so matter-of-factly that it made Zuko’s heart clench. _ “I guess that’s why I was telling you all about Monk Gyatso and the others. They must’ve been on my mind.” _ It amazed Zuko how mature yet childlike Aang could sound. 

_ “I’d imagine you would think of them a lot, considering they are your family.” _ Iroh poured more tea into a cup and Zuko swore he could hear Aang sniffle. 

_ “I guess I was fortunate that I always had been a bit more spiritual than the others.” _ He didn’t state who the others were.  _ “Guru Pathik had taken me all over the Temple for this and had given an explanation for each one.”  _ His uncle placed the pot back on the table. 

_ “Of course, the physical world and spiritual world intersect much more than we think,”  _ of course his uncle was well versed in the spiritual mumbo jumbo that always stumped Zuko. He never had the patience for it. 

_ “Exactly, I notice it more now, though, it's like sometimes I can just...feel things.” _ He could picture the look of consternation on Aang’s face. Zuko got a shiver down his spine. Iroh must’ve nodded. “ _ Anyways, Guru Pathik had taken me to one of the higher points of the temple. Where we had a statue of Avatar Yangchen, very fitting I suppose.” _ There was a pause here and Zuko had to lean closer to hear Aang.

  
  


_ “It was bittersweet, _ ” Zuko did not have to focus or listen carefully to hear that Aang was crying.  _ “I opened my eyes and saw all my people in front of me, it started with those I knew, but then I saw others- those who weren’t from my temple.” _ He paused here to sniffle and Zuko felt anger swell within himself. His petty anger and frustration seemed so... pointless now. They all had real things to deal with. And while his problems were very real, the way he reacted to them should change. Here was Aang, a twelve year old that had his entire culture ripped from him. He was talking to the grandson of the man who had done those atrocities to his people. Yet, there was no anger, no lashing out. 

Zuko felt all the frustration of the day seep out of him as he heard Aang sniffle. He felt shame at his past self for having the audacity to judge Aang and the other air benders. He felt guilt at letting his temper get the best of him now. He  _ needed  _ to work on his perspective. He gave a few controlled breaths. 

_ “He told me that though my people weren’t here, their love for me was still here, it is inside me. He told me that love is just another form of energy and it flows all around us.” _ Silence rang through Zuko’s ears, with the exception of an occasional sniffle from Aang. The words of the Guru bounced around in Zuko’s head. He had never thought to think of love like that; the idea that it would never leave. Zuko had thought that, like many other emotions and feelings in his life, love was stagnant. It would start and end, having a definite time period for both. But, when he thought back and thought about Aang and the others, the way they were around each other, his uncle, and his mother, it made sense. The sudden clarity and realization wiped Zuko of every negative emotion he was feeling. It was like standing within the fire with the true masters. 

_ “Though unorthodox, it sounds like Guru Pathik was a very knowledgeable man.” _ Aang gave a wet laugh. 

_ “He made the absolute worst drink, banana onion juice, claiming it was necessary to open all of the chakras. It was-ugh!”  _ Uncle laughed and Zuko found himself chuckling as well.  _ “Now that I’ve tasted tea such as yours, Uncle, I can’t imagine going back to it.”  _ Zuko had known that all of his friends had called his uncle ‘uncle;’ it was at Iroh’s persuasion, but hearing Aang say it made his heart swell. 

_ “Well, that is certainly something I don’t think I would ever put together. The mixture sounds...like an acquired taste.” _ Aang laughed. Zuko leaned closer, straining his ears to hear.

_ “I will say that by the end it was so exhausting that I did ask for more, though, I’m not sure if it helped the process or not.” _ Suddenly losing his balance, Zuko slipped in an un-firelord manner and tripped practically into the room. 

“Sifu Hotman!” The exclamation made his uncle snort his tea and give a few coughs, but he tried to cover it up by clearing his throat. Thoroughly embarrassed, both by the tripping and the nickname, Zuko straightened up. He gave Aang a mock glare and ignored his uncle’s laughter. 

“Aang, I told you that nobody uses that slang anymore.” Aang had shot up to help him and now was standing in front of him analyzing him. His uncle was still kneeled on the pillow by the table. The table was facing the garden and the window was open allowing a small breeze to blow the curtains. As if expecting his arrival, a third pillow was placed in the center spot between them. Zuko gave a small smile. 

“I know, but I think of it as a sign of respect for you,” Aang was giving him those big, altruistic eyes and Zuko could do nothing but relent. His shoulders dropped and he sighed. 

“Come, nephew, you must be frustrated after sitting in meetings with those dignitaries.” For some reason, Zuko _ knew _ that his uncle had known that he had been eavesdropping. He didn’t know how, but he could feel it. Zuko and Aang knelt back onto the pillows as Iroh poured him tea. 

“I was...but I gained a new perspective.” Both Aang and his uncle nodded, though Aang looked as if he wanted to ask  _ what _ new perspective he had gained. Uncle then spoke up which interrupted any thoughts Aang might’ve had. 

“Well, now that you are  _ here _ ,” he emphasized this and Zuko flushed. So, he had known he was eavesdropping. “I think I should tell Aang about the time that you were caught stealing bread from the kitchen for the turtle ducks.” Zuko was sure his face was going to remain permanently red for the rest of his life. 

“Uncle-” 

“Aw, Zuko! They really are adorable, I can see why you did that!” 

Zuko looked towards the two of them as they laughed. He felt comforted, even if he was the butt of a joke. The tea’s steam was flowing around them and pervading his senses. The garden looked ethereal in the evening glow and the sound of laughter echoed in his ears. Looking between him, Zuko swore that  _ this _ was what the Guru had in mind when he said love was an energy and it flowed all around them. He could feel it.

* * *

_ Three days before the Peace Summit _

It had taken Zuko an embarrassing amount of time to figure out what his Uncle had meant after the meeting. He was doing formations with Aang while the others were all training when it  _ finally _ hit him. 

“Sweet Agni!” He stumbled through the last form, tripping on the ground and would have fallen flat on his face if Katara didn’t use a wave of water to keep him upright.

“Zuko? Are you okay?” Katara and the others rushed over. Toph was standing next to him while Sokka and Suki were running over boomerang and fan in hand respectively. Aang had fallen out of his form to rush over. Despite his embarrassment, Zuko felt a new form of fire in his heart at watching all of his friends run over concerned. Realizing he hadn’t been paying attention to said friends, he chose to tune back in. 

“-is it his heart?” He heard the tail end of Katara’s question. He shook his head and smiled at his friends. For some reason this made things worse. 

“He’s smiling! Oh no, is he dying?! Katara! Is he?” Sokka ran his hands down his face and was flailing about. Zuko scowled at him which caused Sokka to stop his flailing. “Wait, he’s back to normal!” Suki giggled.

“I’m fine, guys. I just had a lot on my mind and I realized something and it made me lose my balance.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. The group collectively looked to Toph who nodded her head in agreement that Zuko was telling the truth. They all sagged in relief and Zuko found himself somehow in the middle of a  _ group hug _ . Seriously, do they always do this? How did they have time to evade him if all they were ever doing was hugging? 

“Good, you worry us you know,” Katara said while pulling away. She turned towards Aang as well. “The both of you do. You need to rest. When we came back the both of you looked awful.” It was true, while the rest of the group did their fair share of world-rebuilding, they clearly had taken the time to recuperate and rest, unlike Aang and Zuko. Zuko rolled his eyes. 

“We can get some rest in after the summit, until then we have lots to do.” As if proving his point, a guard cleared his throat and the group turned to the head chef Rina who made her way over. She gave an introductory bow which was returned. 

“Finishing touches and ingredients are being brought, Firelord Zuko, is there anything else you wish to add?” The chef gave a slight eyebrow raise.  _ Yes _ , Zuko screams internally, but he couldn’t give away what he was going to do. 

“Um, why don’t I- uh, come back and help out? I just, uh-” struggling, Zuko felt all eyes on him. Rina, sensing that there was something secretive, bailed him out. 

“Of course, my Lord, you are needed to sign off most of the shipments anyway.” That was not true and Toph knew it, but for some reason she kept her mouth shut. Rina turned to head back inside the palace and Zuko began to follow. 

“Uh, Zuko, you might want to put clothes on?” Flushing, Zuko looked down and realized that he had been shirtless, wearing only lightweight training pants he had worn when training Aang. Looking at him, Aang was wearing the same. He glanced at the robes folded on the mat next to where the group had put all of their things and where Momo was snacking on a nut. Putting on his robes when he was this sweaty and gross was less than desirable, but he did need to see uncle and Rina. 

Suddenly, a splash of water soaked him thoroughly, followed by loud laughter. 

“Katara!” He shouted, rubbing the water out of his eyes. 

“Hey! That wasn’t me! It was Aang!” Right, there was more than one water bender here. Aang looked sheepish, but his amusement won out and he gave another bark of laughter. Momo chittered and jumped on Zuko’s head and licked a strip of water off of him. More laughter ensued. 

“I just figured you probably felt gross and maybe smelled a little too,” He rubbed the back of his bald head. Suki threw him a small towel that was kept off to the side. 

“Uh-uh, dry me off,” he threw the towel at Aang who caught it and Momo followed it. In his head, he admitted that the splash of water had felt nice. In his peripheral he saw Katara waving her arms around and he suddenly felt lighter and drier. From his left, Sokka threw his robes at him. Sighing, he began putting them on and tying them around his middle when Suki came over the help. Glancing up, he saw Aang and Katara playing with the water that had soaked him. 

“You wanna tell us why you’re acting weird?” She whispered and worked on tightening the knot. He glanced up again, making sure that Aang is occupied. 

“I’ll explain more at dinner, but...keep it on the down low, it’s for Aang, okay?” Any anger and worry left her eyes and they softened. In his peripheral he could see Toph eavesdropping and relaxing. “I just realized that with this whole summit thing we forgot something  _ really  _ important.” Suki nodded and looked him over once he was fully dressed. His hair was already tied back, thankfully, he didn’t want to have to struggle to redo it. 

“Suki, why are you giving oogie eyes at the jerkbender?” Sokka appeared and looked at Zuko with betrayal. Suki laughed and kissed Sokka on the cheek. 

“He was just reciting some haikus for me,” at this Sokka looked outraged and Zuko took a step back. Katara and Aang looked over. Toph sniggered.

“Hey, wait! I wasn’t-!” Holding up his hands in surrender and backing away slowly, Zuko exited the shaded training area. From behind him he could hear Suki assuring Sokka that she was joking with a quick peck on the lips. Zuko gave a small smirk. 

“Hey! Don’t be late for dinner! It’s a full moon!” Toph shouted at him. 

Full moons meant dinner outside, something of a tradition all of them followed. Zuko assumed it had something to do with what happened at the North Pole. He never questioned it, though, and it was nice having dinner outside now, it reminded him of when they were traveling. 

At dinner, Suki must’ve spread word around that Zuko was acting weird for Aang’s sake because all of them seemed more at ease and were sending him grateful looks. Servants had started to bring out food, but the group of them had taken over, relishing in feeling like the old times. 

Katara was dishing out something for Aang and Toph while Sokka was pouring everyone drinks. Zuko, who was the last to arrive, took a seat and accepted the steaming cup from Sokka. The moon was full and in the sky despite there still being a little daylight left. There was a somber, yet happy undertone to the evening as there was every full moon. 

Minutes later, there is quiet except for the scraping of chopsticks on bowls. The food is rich and delicious and absolutely nothing like the meals they had on the road, but it still fills Zuko’s body with warmth. Halfway through, after Sokka had had his third helping the group was starting to finish their own helpings, he saw a familiar shadow in the low light. 

“Uncle!” Aang and Toph had shouted, shooting up to greet him. His uncle greeted them with equal fervor and made his way over. Knowing that this was a distraction that Zuko had asked for, he placed his bowl down and looked at the remaining three of them.

“After we had the preparation meeting for the summit,” Zuko began. “Uncle said something and it _ just _ hit me what it meant.” The group looked at him quizzically and Zuko could see the Aang and Toph were still preoccupied by Iroh’s anecdotes. 

“What did he say?” Katara asked. Zuko looked down. 

“He said there had been a grievous error made,” Zuko moved rice around in his bowl. “I can’t believe it took me this long to realize! How can I still be this stupid?!” Red in the face from his outburst, Zuko looked sheepish. A few yards over, he heard Aang’s laughter ring through the air. 

“Zuko, what mistake did we make?” Concerned Katara shuffled her knees to get closer to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. 

Sighing and finally meeting their eyes, he told them. 

* * *

_ The Day of the Summit _

The day could not be more perfect, and yet, Zuko felt nauseous, nervous, and sweaty. Though he normally could dress and put his hair up, his uncle had suggested getting the ‘royal treatment’ and had help getting ready. The whole process Zuko was trembling and couldn’t stomach the bread that Rina had left pointedly on his dresser. 

The aides were just putting his crown on his top knot having been fastened tighter than ever before. He was running over his speech in his head when the door slammed open. The newer aides, those who weren’t really knowledgeable of the Firelord's friends, jumped in surprise. 

“Sparky! Are you done getting pampered like a princess?” No surprise that it was Toph who had barged in. Immediately, he let out a breath of relief. He had to keep reminding himself that he wasn’t doing this alone. The aides were frazzled now that five extra bodies were watching them help Zuko. He rolled his eyes. 

“Toph, stop scaring the staff,” he sat up, the crown having been placed atop his head and practically glued there. Aang was wearing his fancy monk robes (Sokka’s words not his) and the siblings were wearing traditional water tribe wear. Suki was dressed in her Kyoshi garb and Toph was wearing what she always wore. 

Giving his thanks to the staff, they were dismissed and left him with a bow. He turned to his friends and was sadistically pleased to see that they looked just as nervous as he did. For a group that could never hide their nerves or stop their jitters, they seemed remarkably apt at hiding them now, a testament to how much they had grown over the course of a year. Now, though they still looked like children playing dress up, he saw the warriors and victors that they were, but he also saw the children in those clothes. 

No pep talk could prepare him better than seeing the firm resolve and utter strength that they exuded, even when nervous. A sudden and somber energy struck through the room. They all looked at each other and with a final nod, they exited. 

The summit was the first of its kind since, well, ever, and it seemed that the gang was not the only people who were nervous. Before any actual meetings, the dignitaries and leaders of other nations were held in an antechamber where refreshments were held. Once they entered the chamber, there were jittery conversations that grew near silent once they noticed Zuko and the others had walked in. 

“Please,” Zuko said waving towards the door of the large meeting room. “Let us begin.” 

Though exhausting, the summit went well. It was long and arduous, but there had been no threats or attempt of murder from any of the other nations, so Zuko considered it a win. Each of the nations had gotten to speak about what they wanted now that the war was over and how the Fire nation and even other nations had impacted them. 

At the end of the meeting, Zuko allowed for a brief respite before dinner, which was something all the nations were looking forward to. At Zuko’s request, each nation was to perform an act or dance that was representative of their culture while the others ate something native from their home. The Avatar would also be performing alongside each of them as an act of solidarity with each nation. Zuko and Aang figured that this was the best way to provide entertainment yet also some education. 

Entering the dining hall, it was adorned with a little piece of each nation. The tapestries of the Fire Nation were hung, but also with a Tapestry for each other nation: Water and Earth. The normally overwhelming red hues of the room now had blues, greens, and a hint of orange with them as well. Tables were set in a rectangle formation with the matching color for the nation on the cloth and a large space was left in the middle for the performances. 

To make sure no favoritism was being shown, the group decided that they would enter with their respective nation and that Aang would enter last. Zuko had entered first with his uncle and other higher up ambassadors, next Toph and Suki entered with King Bumi and King Kuei with other ambassadors, then Sokka and Katara entered with their father, Master Pakku, and Chief Arnook along with their respective ambassadors. Lastly, Aang entered by himself to a room that was standing and waiting for him. Altogether, they sat except for Zuko. 

“I would like to say a thanks to everyone who is here today in the name of peace,” he looked around and smiled at his friends' faces. “The war is over and we are embarking on a world of peace, prosperity, and balance. To do this, I will need each of your nation’s help. 

Together we can restore balance and right the wrongs that were made by my nation and ancestors.” Zuko looked over at each of the tables and was suddenly hit with a sense of peace and tranquility. It finally felt that, at last, what he and the others were doing was working. Feeling a lump in his throat, he pushed himself to continue. 

“I hope that this is the first of many meetings that we will share, and that, in time, we may come to see the light together.” After a brief pause for applause, he gestured to the large space in the middle. “For our first course, we shall have cuisine from the Southern and Northern Water Tribes!” At the naming of their tribes, Katara and Sokka stood along with Master Pakku to benign their performance. When Zuko sat down his uncle leant towards him. 

“I’m so proud of you,” he had tears glistening in his eyes and Zuko felt the lump inside his throat grow.

Sokka was wearing traditional warrior face paint and his wolf’s head helmet, while Katara and Master Pakku were just wearing their traditional tribal clothes. Large basins of water were brought in along with the food. Aang, who had shed his outer robes, joined them in the center. Off to the side a drummer gave a strong beat. Sokka and the other warriors were doing some type of call and dance along the outside while Pakku, Katara, and Aang were in the middle. Pakku and Katara were whirling the water around the room in beautiful streams. The audience was captivated by the streams of water that were glinting in the evening fire and the chanting gave it an ethereal feel. At the buildup of the chanting, Aang stood in the center of Katara and Pakku who brought the water to a controlled blob overhead. Aang started to glow and gasps were heard all around. The chanting and drumming was growing louder and suddenly Aang shot his arms up and the water exploded into beautiful snow crystals that rained down over everyone. 

The crowd cheered in response and Aang and Katara gave a hug before going back to being seated. Soon, they settled down and began to eat the Water Tribes’ cuisine. Once chatter started up again, Zuko stood to introduce the next performers. 

“Our next menu selection will be native food from the Earth Kingdom! Please, take the floor,” Zuko sat as the Earthbenders prepared. 

A few of the Kyoshi Warriors had lined up along the edge like Sokka and the Water Tribe warriors had with their fans at the ready. King Bumi and Toph had taken the center where there were two large boulders brought in. Toph had wanted more, but Zuko already had to threaten her not to tear down the palace. 

The Kyoshi Warriors moved elegantly with their fans on the outside while King Bumi and Toph lifted the boulders showing brute strength. The boulders collided and rocked together, when suddenly a large sheet of metal was thrusted under Toph and the crowd clapped as she split it in half and wrapped it around her boulder. King Bumi used his boulder to create some sort of platform that raised him higher than everyone. Toph rose the boulder mixed metal to Bumi’s height and he held it over his head. Below Aang stood and once more his tattoos glowed. The crowd gave large gasps as Bumi dropped the boulder on top of Aang. At the last minute, Aang split the boulder in two using a fan from one of the Kyoshi Warriors. The crowd applauded as King Bumi came down from the platform and Toph bent the earth back to the original two boulders. What she did with the metal, Zuko didn’t know. 

Once again, the nations ate the selected meal from the Earth Nation, tittering about the two performances they’d seen. Zuko’s eyes almost misted over as he heard his own table talk about how beautiful the displays of bending thay’d seen were. Next up, was just him and Aang. He was absolutely terrified that the display of fire would scare and remind those around him what his nation had done for over a hundred years. He had wanted to not give a display, but Aang had shut down that idea immediately, stating that the world they were creating had his nation in it too. That peace was for everyone. 

  
  


“For our next display,” his uncle had stood taken over his position as emcee. “We have the Fire Nation!” He held his arm out in joy over his head. “Also, when eating our dishes, please note that it is a tad spicier than you may be used to!” Those who knew Fire Nation food gave a laugh and Zuko felt some of the tension leave his shoulders. 

Zuko and Aang had decided that their best course of display would be to do the Dragon Dance. Together they took the beginning forms and danced as the dragons had shown them. The fire they created was nothing like the fire that normally came from spouts of violence. It was a beautiful rainbow of oranges, reds, purples, and blues. The crowd was stunned silent as the two danced. Aang’s glowing form added to the beauty of lights all around. When the dance was complete, Aang stood in the center and twirled the fire high above him in a twister of sorts. Aang’s body moved fluidly and all Zuko could do was watch as the beautiful fire twirled higher and higher. Aang then extinguished the fire by splitting it down the middle. 

The two of them stood silently as Aang returned to his normal state, breathing heavily. The crowd burst into applause and Zuko blushed. Aang gave a laugh and bow before heading over to his table (Toph and Katara both sat with him) to eat the fire flakes that were put out. 

When everyone was done eating, there was a curious air as to why the dinner wasn’t over. People from the Earth kingdom and Water Tribes were curiously looking over towards Zuko and his uncle. 

“Um, guys, why aren’t we leaving?” Aang asked Toph and Katara. He had left some fire flakes on his plate and took a sip of water. Toph smirked and Katara gave him a smile. Aang gave them a look of confusion and opened his mouth to say something but Zuko cut him off. 

“Everyone, I am sure that you are wondering what we are waiting for,” Zuko gave a small smile. “The short answer to that question is dessert.” The nations laughed. Zuko turned somber for a moment. 

“When planning this meeting something was brought to my attention, something that needed to be rectified.” He glanced towards his uncle. “In fact, I am sure that you might not have noticed it, I sure would not have it if it weren’t for my uncle.” Zuko waved his hand and nodded his head and suddenly a fourth tapestry had dropped. Brandished on it was the Air insignia. The nations fell silent and Zuko looked to Aang who had started breathing heavily. It seemed he himself hadn’t noticed.

“I realized that, while we are all victims to what seemed like a never ending war, the people had forgotten about a whole nation who was destroyed. A people that should be sitting amongst ourselves.” The doors opened and Aang caught sight of a familiar looking fruit pie. His eyes watered. “Avatar Aang, would you do us the honor and share your traditions?” Beside him, Iroh had two tea pots and flower petals and leaves. Aang looked at him in shock with tears streaming down his face. The fruit pies that he had once smashed on the monks head were coming out and being served to the other nations. Uncle must’ve remembered him telling him about it. 

He walked towards Iroh who was holding out the ingredients toward him. He gave Aang a deep bow.

“I started the process, Avatar Aang, I was hoping you could finish what I could not,” He handed Aang the two pots and once again gave him a bow. Aang seemed frozen for a moment, lost in memories. When he looked up, he saw Zuko, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Suki standing in front of him. He looked at them questioningly

“Everyone else had people of their nation,” Sokka said. “We didn’t want you to be alone.” Aang wiped his eyes. 

He moved to the large space in the center before setting the two teapots in front of him. He then moved to scatter the leaves and fruit around them. From there, he took a deep breath and changed his stance to one that all of his friends recognized as his natural air bending stance. 

It was very obvious that his blue tattoos did not glow, that he was not in the Avatar State when the steam from the pots and the petals and leaves got caught in the air that Aang bended. Right now, Aang was not the Avatar, he was an airbender. 

Zuko’s eyes never left the stream of air from the teapot as it danced around the room in the most majestic way possible. The fruit, leaves, and flowers all danced with it; spiraling in beautiful patterns above them. Aang shifted his stance and dropped low for the flow of air to come back to the pots. Slowly, the leaves and fruit left the air and dropped back to the floor. He took the air up one last time before he carefully began directing it into the pots. 

Enthralled, all Zuko and the others could do was look on. Nobody had ever seen anything like this. His eyes started tearing as he looked to Aang who was concentrating so fiercely, something he had never seen before, even while training him. Looking at Aang, it was as if he could see a whole nation before him. 

Suddenly, It was almost as though he could hear the echo of a man he had never met. The same man who had comforted and guided Aang years ago. 

_ "We cannot concern ourselves with what was, we must act on what is." _

This was  _ what is,  _ right now, the present _.  _ Despite having so much to do, much to learn, and even more to pass on, he felt a type of serenity and peace he had never known before and somehow knew the spirits were finally able to sense the beginning of a new world, hopefully era, and a new sense of balance. When Aang turned to him and placed a cup of tea in his hands he smiled, taking a sip. 

Zuko didn’t think his uncle would mind if he said it was the best cup of tea he had ever tasted.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave a kudos, question, or comment!


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